Tag Archives: bedroom design

Use Toile in a Bedroom

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Warner-Groves-at-Morrison-Ranch-master-webPatterned fabric is always a nice addition to your home’s decor. In living and family rooms, stripes are the most common pattern choice, followed closely by geometric options. You will see some florals too. But one of the most intriguing patterns is an old-fashioned choice: toile.

Toile was originally produced in France when cotton fabric was first brought from India. The people of Europe were used to wool and silk clothing, fabric that didn’t wash well and was often hot in the summer. When cotton first appeared with its wash-and-wear sturdiness and cool weight, it was much in demand. The French Government was so concerned that cotton clothing would take over French cloth manufacturing that they tried to make cotton cloth illegal.

That idea soon failed, and printed cotton cloth became extremely popular. One of the first manufacturers used woodcuts and then a printing press to produce over thirty thousand different designs. Many of the designs depicted country scenes or exciting events of the day such as the first balloon ascension.

Most of these fabrics were printed in one color on white or off-white fabric with repeating patterns. The fabric was called toile de jouy which literally translates to cloth from jouy, or the part of France where the factory was based. Over time, the fabric name was shortened to toile.

This style of fabric has enjoyed a new popularity in home decor recent years, and you will see it in bedrooms and kitchens where people want a French country style. The bedspread above in blue and white shows the most popular color combination but you can find toile fabric in colors to suit virtually any decor.

Touches of Luxury

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touches-of-luxurywWhen you’re planning your master bedroom, it doesn’t take a lot to make it feel like a luxurious getaway. This bedroom isn’t large, but some thoughtful touches help to create just the right place to relax. Let’s take a look at the choices that make this room work so well.

Color: By pulling a number of related neutrals in the room, the look is soft and inviting. There are a few lighter and darker tones for contrast, but the majority of colors are mid-tones that work well together. This is a smart approach for a medium-sized space, creating a unified feeling.

Texture: From the upholstered headboard and matching benches to the curtains, throw pillows and plush carpeting, everything in this room is soft and inviting. This softness encourages you to sit or lie down and rest.

Patterns on patterns: The mix of patterns in the bedclothes creates a feeling of abundance and extravagance.  The mix of large and small pattern florals with the plaid keeps the bedding from feeling too busy.

Matching elements: The nightstands, lamps, and benches come in pairs, setting a symmetrical pose that creates a sense of serenity. Symmetry leads to relaxation.

Mid-tone wall color: A darker wall color makes a room feel cozy and warm. This golden brown keeps this bedroom inviting and ready for sleep in the evening. Windows let in plenty of light during the day when you want it brighter.

How would you like this bedroom for your own? For an in-person look, come and visit Cooley Station. We’ve got some great ideas for your new Fulton Home.

Add Modern Luxury to Master Bedroom

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Master-BedroomwWhat can you do to make your master bedroom feel special and luxurious while still keeping a contemporary look? Here are a few suggestions to do just that, from this master in one of the Seaboard models at Cooley Station.

Dark colors: The rich dark brown wall behind the bed creates an immediate feeling of luxury. Darker colors are richer colors, and this tone strikes a feeling of bronze. The dark wood nightstands and pot as well as the lamp bases continue the dark tones.

Luxury bedding: With the European shams, two-color duvet cover with shams in a reverse color mix, and a generous number of pillows, the bedding says luxury. Making your bed look like someplace you want to land at the end of a long day is a great way to add a feeling of spoiling yourself to your bedroom.

Large-scale artwork: By positioning the large ocean-scape over the bed, it substitutes for a headboard. The blue tones work well with the dark brown wall to build almost a gallery feeling. This simple approach to art brings in a sense of luxury.

Unique ceiling fan: Investing in a ceiling fan that stands out from the norm turns a typical piece into a more sculptural light element. It makes a statement in the room.

Square shades on the table lamps: Once again, a non-standard choice makes the lamps stand out, giving them a decorator feel.

These elements turn a simple bedroom into something special – a hideaway designed for you to escape, relax, and prepare to face another day awake and refreshed from your moment of luxury.

The Pleasure of Reading in Bed

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Master Bedroom photo from the Rancho Mirage model in the Oasis at Queen Creek community.

Master Bedroom photo from the Rancho Mirage model in the Oasis at Queen Creek community.

When you’re planning your bedroom, consider creating a space for reading in bed. For many people, spending time reading is a good way to get relaxed enough to fall asleep, and it’s so much nicer if all you have to do is turn off your light, put down your book and lie down.

To start, look for a padded headboard or one sloped for leaning against. This headboard adds drama to the master bedroom while the padded insert creates a good start to a comfy place to read.

Include some large pillows on your bed. These add style to your bedroom and provide the perfect elements to make a cozy place to curl up over a good book.

Think about lighting also. The matching lights on the nightstands give each person a direct light source for reading. The overhead light would also work, and with a remote to turn it off you don’t have to get out of bed when you’re ready to fall asleep.

If you are a regular bed reader but your partner would prefer to just fall asleep, consider investing in a tablet. You can read e-books on a back-lit surface without a light that might bother your partner at night. And if you are looking for your next book, library e-books are available 24-7 online.

While you’re planning your perfect reading spot, think also about how your bedroom will look. This combination of grey and navy is crisp and sophisticated. And the tray provides a perfect spot for a late-night cup of tea or a snack.

Make your bedroom work for you, in function as well as looks, and it can become your haven at the end of the day.

Pink can be Sophisticated

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girl's_bedroom_montageFor most of us, when we hear that a girl’s bedroom has pink in the color scheme, it sounds cute and pretty, but not very sophisticated. But don’t limit your thinking. With the right accents and style, pink will surprise you. Let’s take a look at how this girl’s bedroom makes that happen.

The right accent colors: One quick and powerful way to add sophistication to any room is by throwing black into the mix. Used judiciously, black makes other colors pop and grounds the space. By mixing a light ballet-pink and black together, the final feel is daring and interesting, and definitely more than cute.

Using metallics: The bold gold on the bedding and poster make everything in the room pop. This is a risky choice and you can’t have a sophisticated look without taking some risks.

Mature fabric choices: It’s easy to go with a juvenile fabric when working with pink, but these fabrics pull you away from that. Adult patterns and moods in the fabric help make this room more grown-up.

Unusual artwork: The Wizard of Oz theme on the poster over the bed says it’s a children’s room, but the retro illustration combined with images from the book itself in the background make this poster worth more than a glance. Really, this piece feels like the inspiration for the entire room.

Eclectic furniture choices: The vanity has an old-fashioned style but the white paint makes it feel up to date. The small chest gets its personality with the different designs on each drawer, which are echoed in the canvas above. Once again a risky mix-and-match mood adds a chic feeling to the space.

Altogether, this room works for a young girl, yet opens up a glimpse of what kind of grown up she will eventually become. Visit Oasis at Queen Creek for a closer look.

Try out Unusual Neutrals

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From Ironwood Crossing

From Ironwood Crossing

Are you getting just a bit tired of earth tones and beiges? If you’re not ready to go all out with color, but you’d like to expand your options, consider these almost neutrals: dusky lavender and soft green. Here are a few suggestions for pulling them into your home.

Mix with other soft neutrals: With the addition of grey and cream, this bedroom doesn’t feel like it’s swimming in color. The grey captures elements of the soft light purple, creating echoes without overwhelming the room. Light green on the walls is made gentler with cream drapes and shades. This room has invited color in without making too much of a statement.

Choose a cool metal accent tone: In this case, silver enhances the connection between lavender and grey and it easily reflects both tones.

Don’t be afraid of contrast: Dark nightstands keep the room grounded, and the depth of tone is mirrored in several of the throw pillows, the bed skirt and the frames on the artwork. Although the actual colors vary, bringing in a number of dark elements lets them work together to make the room more interesting.

Minimize the hues: Notice that the walls are a slight green, such a delicate tone that it almost seems to disappear. Green and lavender are an exciting combination, but in a bedroom the goal should be a soft appeal rather than splashy and attention-getting. The lavender tones selected are darker, but contain so much grey that they don’t announce their color. Only the three accent pillows remind you that purple is in the house.

If you’re ready for a new color, a bedroom provides a great place to start. Paint and bedding are not expensive, allowing you to try new ideas.

Attack Closet Clutter

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closet_montage_Ironwood-webAre you finding it hard to keep even the most generous closet you’ve ever had under control? Even if your master closet is as spacious as this one from Ironwood Crossing, it may be time for a serious attack on your clothes clutter. Let’s take this step-by-step so you can take back your closet and stop going crazy every time you step into it.

Step 1: Empty your closet. This may seem foolish, overwhelming, or unnecessary, but you need to start this way to truly make a difference. There are several reasons for this. One is you may find that once your closet is empty, it could do with a cleaning. Clothes can hide a multitude of sins. Vacuum the floor and wipe down the shelves and clothes poles. You’ll start feeling better immediately. Pile your clothes on the bed and put shoes, purses and anything else you find in there on the floor.

Step 2: Remove anything that doesn’t belong in your closet from the room. Did you discover where you hid that birthday present for your daughter that you couldn’t find when you wanted to? Maybe your closet has become a catch-all for books, papers or other items you wanted to stash quickly before company came. Whatever it is, if you don’t want it in your finished closet, get it out of the bedroom.

Step 3: Take each clothing item and honestly decide whether it belongs in your wardrobe. You’ll hear people say that if you haven’t worn something in a year, then it should go. Instead, take a look and decide if you feel attractive and comfortable in it. If the answer is yes, it stays. No and it goes. Try on any clothes or shoes you’re not sure about and take the time to look in the mirror. Would you buy each item again if you saw it in the store? If the answer is no, get rid of it. Check the look of purses, scarves or other accessories. Let go of items that are worn, out of style, or that you’re simply tired of wearing.

Step 4: Create a plan before rehanging your clothes. Do you like to have work clothes in one section and weekend clothes in another? Maybe you want to sort by color or type of fabric. Have you been hanging clothes that would do better folded in a drawer? Figure it out and replace accordingly.

Step 5: Use bins and baskets to sort shelves. Keeping smaller things contained by category will make it easier to stay organized. Shop your own home for likely boxes and other containers before rushing off to the store. You may find some solutions that work well and add a decorative touch to your closet.

Step 6: Add some hooks to the door or a free wall. These can be used for clothes you’ve worn once but that aren’t yet ready for laundering. They’re also handy for scarves and belts. Hooks can help you keep everything off the floor, which makes a closet feel more spacious and workable.

Step 7: Pack up the give-away clothes and get them out of the house immediately. Otherwise you may be tempted to dive in and rescue some items later. Don’t let that happen.

Step 8: Step back and admire your handiwork! This has been quite a job but you now have a closet filled with clothes you love. Be sure to reward yourself for your hard work – maybe by going shopping???

Pops of Red add Personality to Bedroom.

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DSC_0090 (1)Whether the bedroom is a guest room, a child’s room, or your own, would you take a chance at adding strong color into the space?

Today it’s easy to find furniture in bright and inviting colors, or maybe you have a few pieces with nice lines but a dull look. A little paint and that boring piece can become the focal point of a room.

DSC_0091 (1)Two choices make this bed head and étagère stand out. The color is definitely one of them. The other highlight comes from the turned wood spindles that link the two red pieces together.

At one time, a bedroom like this would be loaded with at least one chest of drawers or dresser. These days, thanks to larger closets and well-arranged built-ins, most bedrooms can use furniture for decoration and style rather than clothes storage.

If you would like to create a mood like this in one of your own bedrooms but don’t have the furniture pieces, you can take advantage of consignment or thrift shops to look for older furniture with inviting lines. You don’t have to worry about the finish since you will be painting it.

Choose an accent color that works for you. It might be a red such as the one in this bedroom, or maybe a bright yellow, blue or green. If you prefer a more subtle color palette, consider a warm pumpkin or dark forest green. If you’re more daring, orange is still a popular color.

Pull the color into the room in other areas. For example, the curtains in this bedroom display elements of that same vivid red, and help bring the room together. You don’t have to keep everything red; the nightstands in dark wood work well in this space. Too much of even a great color can be overwhelming.

Want to take a closer look at this room as well investigating as a number of other interesting and creative design ideas for bedrooms? Visit our newest community, Legacy. We look forward to seeing you there.

 

Lighting that shows Style as well as Function

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masterAs you plan your new Fulton home, don’t underestimate the design impact of the right lighting. A good lighting plan provides two benefits: the appeal of the lighting elements’ style in the home and the way the lights create the ambience you want.

Legacy Models 041More and more, chandeliers are moving out of dining rooms and appearing in master bedrooms, bathrooms and even walk-in closets. Any space that would benefit from the charm of an interesting hanging light works with the right choice of chandelier.

Take a look at the chandelier in this master bedroom from the Fulton model home at Legacy. The traditional candle style is modified into a transitional piece by the geometric cage surrounding it, creating a piece of interest and charm. Additional ceiling lighting combines with matching table lamps to make a space that is sophisticated and still inviting.

DSC_0091Adding to the mood, two smaller examples of the same style light up the seating area, helping to make it a special niche all its own.

Plenty of natural lighting also contributes to the mood of this room. Using shutters allows homeowners to adjust the light according to the time of day, bringing in the outdoors while shading away any glare.

Have you spent any time thinking about a lighting plan for your home? Combining style, mood and ambience, your home’s lighting can make the difference between a nice place and a well-designed space. For more ideas, visit the Fulton Design Center or the model homes at Legacy.

 

The O’Connor: Beautiful Bedroom

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Legacy Models 097This master bedroom has the feel of a luxury hotel suite, one where the rooms are renovated regularly to keep the décor cutting-edge yet comfortable. What secrets does this bedroom contain that you can borrow to make your master as plush and inviting as this one? Let’s take a look.

Contrast combined with consistency: Light and dark tones together add a pop of personality to the space, while consistent colors and shades within the darks and lights keep the room integrated.

Plush features: From the fluffy duvet to the bench at the foot of the bed and upholstered chairs in the seating area, this room has a soft feel. The generous use of throw pillows also adds to the warmth.

A touch of bling: Nothing says special like things that shine, and the lamps on either side of the bed meet that goal. Add in the knobs holding up the curtains, the silver shimmer of the upholstered bench and the touch of gold edging the coffered ceiling and you have a shimmering feel that adds glamour.

A few daring design choices: Taking a chance with some of your design decisions can really make a room feel special. In this case the choice of the dark modernist piece running from the bed to the ceiling becomes part headboard, part art, allowing the bed to stand as a strong focal point in the room. The ceiling fan provides another intriguing feature with its contemporary lines and sharp blades.

To check out this and other interesting rooms from the Fulton Homes O’Connor model, visit our newest community, Legacy, in Gilbert.